How to Write a Compelling
Grant Abstract
Elena Kallestinova, PhD.
Graduate Writing Lab
Yale Center for Teaching and Learning
The Challenge of Obtaining
Funding
Agenda
Market your work
Before you start writing
Structure of abstracts
Types of abstracts
Review your abstract
“If I don’t get interested by the first
page, the proposal is lost.”
*NIH study section reviewers’ comments;
from Robert Porter, 2005. “What Do Grant
Reviewers Really Want, Anyway?”
Reviewers’ Remarks*
They simply provide an
assessment of material
that you provide
in your application.
Reviewers are never wrong;
Reviewers are never right
Grant Reviewing is a Subjective
Process
The Reality of the Grant Review
Process
NIH Reviewers:
10 – 15 proposals as
primary reviewers
Up to 100 proposals for
reading
“A grant application is not
science; it is the marketing of
science.”
-J.L.aand A.H. Schmaier
Grant Writing as a Genre of
Academic Writing
Type: Persuasive writing
Purpose: to persuade reviewers to
fund the proposed research
BUT
In grant proposals, you must persuade
without seeming to persuade
Project
Description/Abstract/Summary
Describes the project;
Shows the importance and
relevance of your research;
Is used as a guide to the
document;
Is used to decide where to assign
your application.
Marketing Your Research
Think how you can
explain your project in
one sentence.
Introduce your project
to your partner.
Getting Prepared For Abstract Writing
Choose a Sponsoring Agency
Federal/State Agencies Private Agencies
National Institute of Health
National Science Foundation
Department of Engineering
CT Dept. of Public Health
American Lung Association
American Chemical Society
Kidney Disease Foundation
Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation
www.grants.com
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm
http://foundationcenter.org
https://yale.communityforce.com/Funds/Search.aspx
Main Types of NIH Grants
Research Grants (R01, R21)
Career Development Awards (K99, K01)
Research Training and Fellowships (F31, T32)
Program Project/Center Grants (P01)
Resource Grants (R24, R25)
Small Business Grants (SBIR/STTR)
Sections of an NIH Application
Project Description/Abstract
Specific Aims
Research Strategy
o Significance
o Innovation
o Approach
Literature Cited
Biographical Sketches
Other Application
Materials …
Budget
Recommendation
letters or letters of
support
Appendices
Learn From Samples
Share with your
groupmates what
sponsoring agency you
would like to submit your
grant to. What type of grant
is this going to be?
Choose a Sponsoring Agency
Federal/State Agencies Private Agencies
National Institute of Health
National Science Foundation
Department of Engineering
CT Dept. of Public Health
American Lung Association
American Chemical Society
Kidney Disease Foundation
Bill&Melinda Gates Foundation
www.grants.com
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/oer.htm
http://foundationcenter.org
https://yale.communityforce.com/Funds/Search.aspx
Content and Structure of Abstracts
Grant Abstracts Provide
Answers to These Questions:
What do you intend to do?
Why is the work important?
What has already been done?
How are you going to do the work?
Content of Grant Abstracts
From the general application guide for NIH
•State the broad, long-term objectives and specific
aims, making relevance to the mission of the
agency.
• Describe the research design and methods for
achieving the stated goals.
• Be sure that the project summary reflects the key
focus of the proposed project so that the
application can be appropriately categorized.
Grant Abstracts Provide
Answers to These Questions:
What do you intend to do?
Why is the work important?
What has already been
done?
How are you going to do
the work?
Background
Problem
Objectives
Strategy
Significance
Prelim. Results
Example 1
Global warming is arguably one of the most pressing
concerns of our time. However, we lack an effective
model to predict precisely by how much the
temperature will rise as a consequence of the
increased levels of CO
2
and other factors. The width
of this range is due to several uncertainties in
different elements of the climate models, including
the variability in the Sun’s rate of energy output. To
gain greater insight into the relationship between
solar energy output and global temperature, we
propose to launch the internationally led ABC
satellite in April 2018. Our aim is to collect for 2 years
data on the solar diameter and shape, oscillations,
and photospheric temperature variation. We will
assess these data to model solar variability. Our
findings will dramatically advance our understanding
of solar activity and its climate effects.
Background
Problem
Objectives
Strategy
Significance
Example 2
X is a major human pathogen, which infects
over 100 million people per year, leading to
high morbidity and mortality. Current
therapies for X are expensive, poorly
tolerated, and only partially effective in
controlling the pathogens and in limiting
disease. Recently, we and other succeeded
in establishing a system to grow X in cell
culture. These systems will allow us to
completely dissect the life cycle of X. Our
initial characterization of cell culture-
produced X indicates unusual physical
properties. Understanding of X’s life cycle
will aid in the development of improved
pharmaceuticals.
Problem
statement
is missing
Objective
is missing
Signals of the Structure
Problem
… has not been determined
… is unclear
X is limited by …
The questions remains if…
Objectives
Our objective is …
We propose to …
We will examine the
hypothesis that …
Strategy
We will achieve this goal by …
Specifically, we will … by …
Our general strategy is to …
Significance
… is important for …
These results may play a role in …
Y can be used to …
… will provide insights into…
When and How to Start Writing:
Write a four-page description of
your project:
By adding details, you can turn
this description into your
research plan.
By stripping it of details you can
create an abstract.
Consider
writing your
application
as “walking
your dog.”
Outline Your Abstract
Using the list of the
components, write one
sentence for each section
of your abstract.
Read your abstract to your
team-mates.
Signals of the Structure
Problem
… has not been determined
… is unclear
X is limited by …
The questions remains if…
Objectives
Our objective is …
We propose to …
We will examine the
hypothesis that …
Strategy
We will achieve this goal by …
Specifically, we will … by …
Our general strategy is to …
Significance
… is important for …
These results may play a role in …
Y can be used to …
… will provide insights into…
Types of Abstracts
Types of Abstracts
Technical Abstracts Lay Abstracts
The same content
Contain shorter background
sections;
Elaborate on preliminary
results, research strategies and
specific aims.
Should be widely
understandable;
Contain longer background
and significance sections.
Written for federal agencies Written for private foundations
and corporations;
Type Differences
Technical Abstracts
Lay Abstracts
Assume background
knowledge;
Few justifications;
Extensive use of
terminology;
Few definitions and
examples.
Require background;
Frequent initial purpose
clauses;
Terminology is used
with caution;
More definitions and
examples.
Technical vs. Lay Abstracts
Using the features of
technical vs. lay abstracts,
determine which is which
in the following examples.
Background Section
Most people over the age of
35 years exhibit emphysema,
a major manifestation of
chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD).
Cigarette smoke, pollutants,
and gender are thought to be
important determinants of
the severity of the disorder.
Emphysema is a major subset of
chronic obstructive lung disease,
predicted to reach epidemic
proportions by 2020. The
condition develops in most
people over the age of 35 and
can lead to the loss of oxygen
exchange, lung enlargement, and,
if severe, complete respiratory
failure. Cigarette smoke,
pollutants, and gender are
thought to be important
determinants of the severity of
the disorder.
Technical AbstractLay Abstract
Problem Section
Disease-altering
treatment or reliable
diagnostic features that
can be used to measure
the progress of the
disease have not yet
been determined.
Curative therapies or
reliable diagnostic
biomarkers do not exist for
emphysema/ COPD.
Technical Abstract Lay Abstract
Strategy Section
Technical Abstract Lay Abstract
This proposal will directly build on
and expand our pilot findings.
Specifically, we will first confirm the
role of Z, X, and Y in the pathogenesis
of age-induced and cigarette smoke-
induced emphysema and validate
their roles as therapeutic targets.
Subsequently, we will analyze
molecular interactions of these
molecules in young and aged people
in relation to cigarette exposure,
gender, and emphysema/COPD.
We believe that the
synergistic or additive
effects of age and
cigarette smoke on Z’s
function may explain
disease development and
characteristics.
Technical vs. Lay Abstracts
Break into teams of 4 people.
Take a sentence form one of
your abstracts (one per team)
and re-write it for technical and
lay audiences.
Share your sentences with us.
Review Your Application
Grant Abstracts Should
present an accurate description of the
proposed work;
be able to stand on its own (separate from
the application);
be informative to other people working in
the same or related fields;
be succinct and concise and limited to 30
lines of text.
Avoid in Grant Abstracts
descriptions of past accomplishments;
the use of the first person;
any information not covered in your proposal;
any confidential information;
graphs or images;
citations.
Carefully Review Your Application
Allow sufficient time to put the
completed application aside.
Edit for different problems
separately.
Proofread by reading the
application aloud, backwards,
and from a printed copy.
Excessive Length
Revise: Omit Less Important
Information:
1. Definitions;
2. Experimental preparations;
3. Details on methods;
4. Exact data;
5. Confirmatory results;
6. Comparisons with previous studies.
Edit: Trim Your Sentences
1. Avoid redundancies;
2. Delete useless intensifies;
3. Use simpler vocabulary;
4. Put action into your words;
5. Trim your clauses or phrases;
6. Write shorter sentences.
1. Avoid Redundancies
final outcome;
new innovations;
particular interest;
summarize briefly;
shorter/longer in length;
puzzling in nature;
already existing;
completely eliminate;
basic fundamentals;
estimates roughly at;
period of time;
true facts.
Avoid Abbreviated Redundancies:
HIV virus = Human Immunodeficiency Virus;
AIDS syndrome = Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
2. Avoid Useless and
Emotional Intensifiers
Really, very, quite, extremely, severely, clearly,
certainly, essentially, actually:
The preliminary results clearly show that the
protein was absent in the fraction.
… siRNA duplex quite possibly caused an RNA
interference effect.
3. Use Simpler Vocabulary
A large number of = many;
Along the lines = like;
As a general rule = generally;
Exhibits the ability = can;
On the occasion of = when;
Is equipped with = contains;
In the light of the fact = because.
4. Put Action into the Verb
The subjects are under intense pressure of X…
The subjects face intense pressure of X…
Researchers have found out that drug X has
side effects of Y and Z.
Researchers have discovered that drug X has
side effects of Y and Z.
Avoid weak and phrasal verbs:
be, have, do, make, get, seem, find out, set up…
4. Put Action into the Verb
Avoid expletive constructions:
there is/ there are/it is
There is fellowship training in Allergy and Clinical
Immunology and Pulmonary Medicine at Yale
University.
Yale University provides fellowship training in
Allergy and Clinical immunology and Pulmonary
Medicine.
4. Put Action into the Verb
Avoid nominalizations, i.e. nouns derived from
verbs and adjectives
Nominalizations Verbs:
discovery - discover
resistance - resist
reaction - react
Nominalizations Adjectives:
difference - different
proficiency - proficient
importance - important
Sentences with action verbs are natural,
direct, and easy to understand
Make a decision - decide
Cause a decrease - decreased
Be a failure - fail
Have a tendency - tend
These studies contributed to the identification of the
cellular progenitors of memory CD8 T cells.
These studies helped to identify the cellular progenitors
of memory CD8 T cells.
Omit “Overview” Phrases
Recent studies reported that intracellular calcium is
released when adipocytes are stimulated with insulin.
(14 words)
Intracellular calcium is released when adipocytes are
stimulated with insulin. (10 words)
5. Trim Your Clauses or Phrases
6. Write Shorter Sentences
Easy to understand (≈ 15-20 words);
Emphasize one idea;
Weigh more.
Developing effective vaccines to prevent infection and to treat
chronic infection or cancer remains a formidable challenge
primarily because we do not fully understand how memory T
and B cells develop during immune responses. (34 words)
We do not fully understand how memory T and B cells develop
during immune responses. This knowledge gap creates a
formidable challenge to develop effective vaccines to prevent
infection and treat chronic infection or cancer. (15 + 20 words)
All collaborators (ethical issue!)
Anyone who is writing a letter for you
Outside readers (at least 3!)
An expert in the field
A person in a closely related field
An intelligent non-expert
Good proofreader with excellent English skills
Receive Feedback
Review Your Abstract
Go back to your
abstract in exercise 3
and trim your
sentences
Good luck with your proposal!
References
Barnard, Stephanie, et al. 2001.
Writing, Speaking, Communication Skills for Health
Professionals
. Yale University Press.
Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. 2008.
The Craft of
Research.
The University of Chicago Press.
Ettinger, Adrienne S. 2011
. Applying for an NIH NRSA Individual Predoctoral
Fellowships (F31
), School of Public Health, Yale University.
Hofmann, Angelika. 2009.
Scientific Writing and Communication.
Oxford University
Press.
Inouye, Sharon K. and David A. Fiellin. 2005. An Evidence-Based Guide to Writing
Grant Proposals for Clinical Research. Annals of Internal Medicine, 142:274-82.
Robert Porter, 2005. “What Do Grant Reviewers Really Want, Anyway?” Journal of
Research Administration, April.
Rockwell, Sara. 2011.
Writing Your First Grant.
Power Point Presentation, School of
Medicine, Yale University.
Williams, Joseph M. 2007
Style: Lessons in Clarity.
Pearson, Longman.
Zeiger, Mimi. 2000.
Essentials of Writing Biomedical Research Papers.
McGraw-Hill
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